potholes (pics)

I've been on a militant pothole reporting mission today! Been meaning to do it for a bit.

What's the best way to get councils to act? I've reported a few to fillthathole.org.uk but am just wondering if it's best to report them directly to the actual council aswell.

Ironically it's not potholes that are my main gripe but poor road surfaces, as I always just go round potholes, but they could cause a nasty accident if they caused a cyclist to come off and there were motor vehicles passing, which is why they need to be sorted.

I'm only going to report the worst ones I see, 'cos I could have roadworks springing up left right and centre otherwise! But some of the ones I've seen are particularly bad, so I am going to do everything in my power to make the council fix them, and have posted the pics below for you to thank your lucky stars how good the roads round where you live are.

A few here for Derbyshire CC to sort out:

this is a fairly big one, well over an inch deep:

this is the same one from further away

another one on the same road: (reported as a different hazard)

but then this is the corker:

the tape measure is 78mm diameter, and its top is just about flush with the road
I don't ride up this side of the road, as it's an absolute mother of a hill and there is an easier way up, but some people might choose to!

It is no good sending those photos off to the council, they will just get chucked in somebodies filing cabinet and be forgotten. You need to make them sit up and take notice if you want something done.

Instead of faffing about with keys and Lucozade bottles, take a picture of your erect penis sticking into the pothole to show how deep it is. You can then gaurantee your complaint will be taken right to the very top.

It is no good sending those photos off to the council, they will just get chucked in somebodies filing cabinet and be forgotten. You need to make them sit up and take notice if you want something done.

Instead of faffing about with keys and Lucozade bottles, take a picture of your erect penis sticking into the pothole to show how deep it is. You can then gaurantee your complaint will be taken right to the very top.

I sympathise with you indeed. Some of the roads around Herts, Beds and Bucks are shocking to say the least.....chunks of road missing.
I'm sure there is a certain level of depth a hole can be before it can be filled.
Those I am sure will all fall into the 'Needs imminent repair' category.

I used to be on the Celica GT4 owners club forum and one of the guys on there worked for the highways agency.
He worked so hard to get certain roads repaired.

Your photographic evidence is best.
Approach the local council by all means....but do it in person so that you can sit down and discuss it with them.....just sending the pics will not work as Joe has already said...they'll lose them.

Report holes directly to the council. They usually have a number or a web form for it (Exeter's has a map system so you can pinpoint the hole accurately!).

For speedy repairs point out that the hole is in the carriageway and that it poses an immediate danger to two-wheeled vehicles. That ticks all sorts of severity and due-diligence boxes up at Pothole HQ.

Remember: Councils are not psychic. Mystic Meg is not sat there with a shovelful of hot asphalt waiting to get the tingle. You have to tell them!